Lifting folding door

ABSTRACT

A folding door apparatus for homes and other building structures that is formed of a plurality of panels hinged together in accordion fashion. The door panels are raised and lowered along parallel vertical rails by a pair of winding reels and cable. A stability pin and a plurality of guide pins extend from the outer side edge of selected panels. The rails are hinged to the structure&#39;s flooring, and define an inner and outer trackway. The inner trackway for receiving the stability pin, and the outer trackway for receiving the guide pins. The inner trackway further defines a release point at the approximate midway of the length of the rail. In application raising the door panels to an open position, the stability pin remains engaged within the inner railway until stability pin is raised to the release point. At release point the stability pin is disengaged from inner railway for proper folding of the panels.

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

U.S. Provisional Application for Patent No. 60/508,594, filed Oct. 06,2004, with title “Lifting Folding Door” which is hereby incorporated byreference. Applicant claims priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. Par.119(e)(i).

Statement as to rights to inventions made under Federally sponsoredresearch and development

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a folding door apparatus inwhich a plurality of door panels are movable between an extended orunfolded position and a folded position relative to the opening in abuilding structure.

2. Brief Description of Prior Art

Prior art garage doors for homes and other building structures are builtwith several sections so they can be rolled up and stored overhead andmove on a pair of rails so that the door moves from a vertical positionto a horizontal position. Since the door when in the horizontal positionhas the same size as when it is in the vertical position it covers alarge area of the ceiling and requires a large framework of tracks andstraps.

The prior art further exemplifies various techniques for raising andlowering foldable door panels along vertical trackways. While the priorart relates to the broad concept of having adjacent panels connected toeach other along horizontal edges for an accordian-type operation, theknown arrangements are substantially complicated, are expensive tomanufacture, and often require special hinging arrangements to withstandthe forces associated with panel movement between extended and stackedpositions.

As will be seen from the subsequent description, the preferredembodiments of the present invention overcome the above problems anddifficulties of the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a folding door apparatus for homesand other building structures that is formed of a plurality of panelshinged together with alternate hinges being on the inner or outer sideof the door. A stability pin and a plurality of guide pins extend fromthe outer side edge of selected panels. A cable extends vertically alongthe panels having a first end connected to the remotest panel from areel, and an opposite end connected to the reel that is keyed to a driveshaft. The apparatus further includes a guiding system comprising a pairof vertical rails adjacently disposed to the structure's verticaluprights, and hinged to the structure's flooring. The rail defines aninner trackway or railway and an outer railway. The inner railway forreceiving the stability pin, and the outer railway for receipt of theguide pins. The inner railway further defines a release point disposedat the approximate midway of the length of the rail.

In application raising the door panels to an open position, thestability pin remains engaged within the inner railway until stabilitypin is raised to the release point. At release point the stability pinis disengaged from inner railway for proper folding of the panels.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, a folding door apparatus as viewed from inside of a building.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the folding door apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 3-5 are side views of the folding door apparatus of FIG. 1 eachillustrating the door panel in partially opened positions.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the folding door apparatus of FIG. 1illustrating the door panel in an open position.

FIG. 7 is a side sectional view of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 8-9 are side sectional views of the apparatus of FIG. 6.

FIGS. 10-11 are side sectional views of a pair of hinged door panels.

FIG. 12 is a side sectional view of the guiding system of the apparatusof FIG. 1.

FIG. 13 is a top sectional view of the guiding system of the apparatusof FIG. 1.

FIG. 14 is a sectional view of the guiding system of the apparatus ofFIG. 1, as viewed from inside of a building.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In accordance with the present invention, a folding door apparatus ofthe type for use as a closure for an opening found in garages for homesand other building structures is disclosed. The folding door apparatusis directed to a door apparatus having a plurality of hinged panels suchthat, when moving upward, the panels are folded in zigzag fashion inprimarily a horizontal direction. Specifically, it will be noted in thedrawings that the folding door apparatus relates to an apparatusdesigned to provide an alternative lifting folding door which can beopened and closed with relative ease and at relatively high speeds. Inthe broadest context, the folding door apparatus of the presentinvention consists of components configured and correlated with respectto each other so as to attain the desired objective.

FIGS. 1-14 illustrate the preferred embodiment of the folding doorapparatus 1 made in accordance of the present invention. As best shownin FIG. 1, the present invention for use in the door opening of abuilding (not shown), such as a garage door opening. The opening isdefined by a horizontal cross member (not shown) and a pair of spacedvertical uprights designated as letter “A” (FIGS. 2-7) extendingtherefrom.

While the folding door apparatus of the present invention may beoperated by electric means known in the art, it will be described andillustrated in the drawings as being operated manually. The folding doorapparatus 1, shown in FIG. 1 can include a counter balance spring 52that could provide torque through drive shaft 50 to reels 71 to helpraise the folding door apparatus 1 and to hold it in the raisedposition. A drive motor (not shown) could also power drive shaft 50 tolift and lower the folding door apparatus 1.

As shown in FIG. 7, a pair of cables 81 are wound on a pair of reels 71to effect opening and closing of the door panels of the folding doorapparatus 1. The cable 81 extends vertically along the door panelshaving a first end (see FIG. 12) connected to door panel 40 (theremotest panel from the reel 71) as will be further described, and anopposite end connected to the reel 71 that is keyed to a drive shaft 50for unitary rotation therewith.

As shown in the drawings, the folding door apparatus 1 includes aplurality of door panels 10, 20, 30, 40. In the drawings, panels aredesignated 10, 20, 30 and 40. The panels are hinged together withalternate hinges 21, 31, 41 being on the inner side of the panels or onthe outerside of the panels. In particular, as best shown in FIG. 3,hinge 21 is disposed on the inner sides of panels 10 and 20, hinge 31 isdisposed on the outer sides of panels 20 and 30, and hinge 41 isdisposed on the inner sides of panels 30 and 40. As a result, panel 10is pivotally connected to panel 20 along adjacent edges by hinge 21,panel 20 is pivotally connected to panel 30 along adjacent edges byhinge 31 and panel 30 is pivotally connected to panel 40 along adjacentedges by hinge 41. As best shown in FIGS. 8-9, panel 10 is furtherpivotally connected to the wall surface “A” by hinge 11. Hinge 41 can beany mechanical hinge but could also be a flexible strap or living hingeor any device that allows for relative pivot between the panels.

The joining of the panels' adjacent edges as discussed above form anairtight seal between the panels when the folding door apparatus 1 is inthe closed position (FIG. 1). As shown in FIG. 9 (also illustrated inFIGS. 3-6 and 8), the panels include a projection portion 91 and agroove portion 90. Two panels are joined (panels 30 and 40 for example,as shown in FIG. 5) when the groove portion 90 of panel 30 mates withthe projection portion 91. As shown in FIG. 9, the projection portion 91can further include a seal 91A to enhance forming the airtight sealbetween the joined panels.

As will be further described, the apparatus 1 further includes astability pin 42 and a plurality of guide pin 12, 22 and 43. Thestability pin 42 comprising a shaft 42A (see FIG. 14) and a head portion42B. Each of the guide pins 12, 22 and 43 include a shaft designated asletter “S” (see FIG. 13) and a roller designated as “R”. The stabilitypins 12, 22, 42 and guide pin 43 extend from the outer side edge ofselected panels. In particular, guide pin 12 extends from the outer sideedge of panel 10, guide pin 22 extends from the outer side edge of panel30, and guide pin 43 extends from the outer side edge of panel 40. Asfurther illustrated, stability pin 42 likewise extends from the outerside edge of panel 40.

The vertical dimension of the building opening is substantially the samewidth of the panels 10, 20, 30 and 40, and the spaced area between thevertical uprights “A”. As shown in the drawings, the folding doorapparatus 1 further includes a guiding system that will be described.

The guiding system of the present invention includes right sidecomponents identical to the left side. In the following description ofthe guiding system, only the components on one side are being describedin detail, while the identical components on the opposite are merelybeing illustrated in the drawings.

The guiding system includes a pair of vertical rails 60 adjacentlydisposed to the vertical uprights “A”. As such, the pair of verticalrails 60 are spaced apart the approximate width of the building opening.

The rail 60 includes a lower end 60A pivotally attached to thestructure's floor surface “B” by hinge 61. The rail 60 further includesan upper end 60B that is affixed to mounting bracket 70. As shown inFIG. 1, apparatus' drive shaft 50 is further attached to the bracket 70.The bracket 70 for maintaining proper spacing between the upper ends 60Bof the rails 60 and for providing further support thereto.

As shown in FIG. 1, the rail 60 vertically extends the length of theapparatus 1. Referring to FIG. 13 which illustrates a top view of therail 60, the rail 60 defines an inner railway 62 and an outer railway64. As shown in FIG. 13, the outer railway 64 is disposed a distance “E”from the outer side edge of the panel.

The inner railway 62 is designed for receipt of the head portion 42B ofstability pin 42. The outer railway 64 is designed for receipt of theroller portions “R” of the guide pins 12, 22 and 43. Of course, each ofthe panels include a corresponding stability pin and guide pinspositioned at the other side edge of the door opening and engaged in thecorresponding rail 60.

The head portion 42B of the stability pin 42 is sized to be slidinglyreceived within the inner railway 62, and the roller portions “R” of theguide pins 12, 22 and 43 are sized to be slidingly received within theouter railway 64.

The rail 60 defines the outer railway 64 that vertically extends alongthe length of the rail 60. The inner railway 62 vertically extends fromthe lower end 60A of the rail 60 to a release point 100 (best shown inFIG. 14) at the approximate midway of the rail 60. As stated, the innerrailway 62 defines a path of travel for the stability pin 42 as long asthe stability pin 42 remains engaged with the inner railway 62.

In application raising the door panels to an open position, thestability pin 42 remains engaged within the inner railway 62 (see FIGS.2-4) until stability pin 42 is raised to the release point 100. Atrelease point 100 the stability pin 42 is disengaged from inner railway62 for proper folding of the panels as shown in FIG. 5. As should beunderstood, the guiding pins 12, 22 and 43 remain engaged within theouter railway 64 during opening and closing the door panels. Thestability pin 42 when in position as described above provides stabilityto the door panels to avoid the panels being pushed inward or outwardwhen the door is in the lowered position. The stability pin 42 does notassist in proper tracking of the door when being raised or lowered.

In the closed position as shown in FIGS. 1-2 the rails 60 aresubstantially adjacent the vertical uprights “A”. Referring to FIGS.3-6, as the door panels are raised the rails 60 and the mounting bracket70 (attached to the rails 60) pivot a distance “C” from the verticaluprights “A”. Rails 60 outwardly pivot by hinge 61. Hinge 61 releasesthe rails 60 to pivot not more than distance “C”, preferably about 6.4inches. Pivoting the upper end 60B of the rails 60 outward during theraising operation as discussed assists in the stacking of the panels andfurther assists the stability pin 42 to properly release outward once itpasses the release point 100.

Referring to FIG. 7, the reel 71 includes a hook member 74 that canengage a catch 73 disposed on a mount 72 that is affixed to the verticalupright “A”. In particular, hook member 74 has a first engaging positionas shown in FIGS. 2 and 7 when the door panels are in the closedposition, and a second disengaging position as shown in FIGS. 3-6 and 8when the door panels are being raised or in the open position and therails 60 are pivotally separated from the vertical upright A asdiscussed. In the first engaging position the reel 71 is stopped fromrotating or un-winding the cable 81 which would cause undesired slack inthe cable line 81.

As stated, an end of cable 81 is attached to door panel 40 withconnector means. Referring to FIG. 12, the end of the cable 81 isattached to a compressing plate 81A disposed within a housing 80. Thehousing 80 is attached to the door panel 40 with connector 83. A spring82 is further disposed within the housing 80 sandwiched between thecompressing plate 81A and an upper surface 80A of the housing 80. Thespring 82 is in a substantially open condition (shown in FIG. 12) whenthe apparatus 1 is in the open or raised position, and is in acompressed condition, where the compressing plate 81A is pushed towardsthe upper surface 80A of the housing 80, when the apparatus 1 is in theclosed or lowered position. The connecting means including the connector83, housing 80, compressing plate 81A and spring 82 as described,further assists in maintaining tension of the cable 81 as the doorpanels of the apparatus 1 open and/or close.

The relative position of the door panels and their components arerepresented in FIG. 1 when the apparatus 1 is in its closed or loweredposition and, is represented in FIG. 6 when the apparatus 1 is in itopen or stacked position.

To commence a door opening operation, urging the panels upwarddisengages the hook member 74 from the catch 73 whereupon the reels 71can rotate in a cable winding direction. The cables 81 are thusretracted onto their respective reels 71 causing upward movement of thepanels by the upward force exerted.

During initial upward movement of the door apparatus 1, as shown in FIG.3, the rails 60 pivot distance “C” from the vertical uprights “A”, anddoor panel 10 immediately outwardly pivots on hinge 11. As panel 10pivots upward as shown, panel 10 and panel 20 fold at the hingedlocation into a horizontal position for stacking purposes. Panels 30 and40 continue to move vertically as a unit as the guide pins 22 and 43,and stability pin 42 slidingly engage the tracks 64, 62 respectively.

The continued upward movement of the remotest panels 30 and 40 along therails 60, such that stability pin 42 is released at release point 100,causes panel 30 to pivot as shown in FIG. 5 at the hinged locationconnecting panel 30 to panel 40. Once the stability pin 42 is released,and as the panels 30 and 40 are advanced upward, the panels 30 and 40are folded to a horizontal position as shown in FIG. 6.

In the raised or open position, the reel 71 remains in a disengagedposition with catch 72, and the rails 60 maintain the distance “C” fromthe vertical uprights “A”. The door panels of the door apparatus 1 willremain in an overhead stacked and folded position until initiation for adoor closing operation whereupon the above sequence of operation isreversed.

An advantage of the folding door apparatus 1 is that it is selfcontained. The apparatus rail 60 can be attached to a floor with fixedhinge 61, and the fixed hinge 11 attached to an upper point nearvertical uprights “A” and the apparatus 1 is ready to use. This isconsiderably simpler than conventional garage door installation.

Although the description above contains many specificities, these shouldnot be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merelyproviding illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodimentsof this invention. As such, it is to be understood that the presentinvention is not limited to the embodiments described above, butencompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the claims.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that modifications may bemade to the embodiments described above without departing from the scopeof the invention. Thus the scope of the invention should be determinedby the claims in the formal application and their legal equivalents,rather than by the examples given.

1. A folding door panel apparatus comprising: a plurality of panelsconnected together with hinges, a pair of winding reels and cables, apair of vertical rails pivotally attached to a structure's floorsurface, wherein an upper end of the rails pivot a distance from thestructure's vertical uprights, wherein the panels are positioned betweenthe vertical rails, wherein the rails include an outer railway thatextends the length of the rail, wherein the rails further include aninner railway disposed parallel with the outer railway, said innerrailway extends from a lower end of the rail to a release point, astability pin extending from an outer edge of one of the panels insliding engagement with the inner railway, a plurality of guide pinsextending from the outer edge of selected panels in sliding engagementwith the outer railway, connecting means to connect the cables to one ofthe panels.
 2. The folding door apparatus as recited in claim 1, whereinthe plurality of door panels comprises a first panel, a second panel, athird panel and a fourth panel.
 3. The folding door apparatus as recitedin claim 2, wherein the stability pin extends from the outer edge of thefourth panel.
 4. The folding apparatus as recited in claim 2, whereinthe cable is connected to the fourth panel.
 5. The folding apparatus asrecited in claim 1, wherein the connecting means comprising a platedisposed within a housing, said housing attached to the fourth panel, aspring sandwiched between the plate and an upper surface of the housing,wherein the cable is connected to the plate.
 6. The folding doorapparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein the spring has an opencondition when the door apparatus is in a raised position, and acompressed condition when the door apparatus is in a closed position. 7.The folding door apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein a first outerend of the panels include a projection portion and an opposite outer endof the panels include a groove portion, wherein an airtight seal isformed between a pair of panels when the groove portion of the firstpanel joins with the projection portion of the second panel.
 8. Thefolding door apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein a seal is disposedon the projection portion.
 9. The folding door apparatus as recited inclaim 1, wherein the hinges are alternately disposed on inner and outersides of the panels along adjacent edges.
 10. The folding door apparatusas recited in claim 3, wherein the stability pin comprises a shaftportion that extends from an outer edge of the panel, and a head portionattached to the shaft portion, said head portion in sliding engagementwith the inner railway.
 11. The folding door apparatus as recited inclaim 1, wherein the guide pin comprises a shaft portion that extendsfrom an outer edge of the selected panels, and a roller portion attachedto the shaft portion, said roller portion in sliding engagement with theouter railway.
 12. A folding door panel apparatus comprising: a toppanel, a second panel, a third panel and a bottom panel, said second andthird panels disposed between the top and bottom panels, said panelsconnected together with hinges, a pair of winding reels and cables, apair of vertical rails pivotally attached to a structure's floorsurface, wherein an upper end of the rails pivot a distance from thestructure's vertical uprights, wherein the panels are positioned betweenthe vertical rails, wherein the rails include an outer railway thatextends the length of the rail, wherein the rails further include aninner railway that extends from a lower end of the rail to a releasepoint, a stability pin extending from an outer edge of the bottom panel,said stability pin in sliding engagement with the inner railway, aplurality of guide pins extending from the outer edge of said top,second and bottom panels in sliding engagement with the outer railway,connecting means to connect the cable to the bottom panel.
 13. Thefolding apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein the connecting meanscomprising a plate disposed within a housing, said housing attached tothe bottom panel, a spring sandwiched between the plate and an uppersurface of the housing, wherein the cable is connected to the plate. 14.The folding door apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein a first outerend of the panels include a projection portion and an opposite outer endof the panels include a groove portion, wherein an airtight. seal isformed between a pair of panels when the groove portion of one of thepanels join with the projection portion of the other panel.
 15. Thefolding door apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein a seal isdisposed on the projection portion.
 16. The folding door apparatus asrecited in claim 12, wherein the hinges are alternately disposed oninner and outer sides of the panels along adjacent edges.
 17. Thefolding door apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein the stability pincomprises a shaft portion that extends from an outer edge of the bottompanel, and a head portion attached to the shaft portion, said headportion in sliding engagement with the inner railway.
 18. The foldingdoor apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein the guide pin comprises ashaft portion that extends from an outer edge of the panels, and aroller portion attached to the shaft portion, said roller portion insliding engagement with the outer railway.
 19. A folding door panelapparatus comprising: a plurality of panels connected together withhinges, at least one winding reel and cable, at least one pivotablevertical rail, wherein the panels are connected to the at least onepivotable vertical rail, wherein the rail includes an outer railway thatextends the length of the rail, wherein the rail further includes aninner railway disposed parallel with the outer railway, said innerrailway extends from a lower pivot end of the rail to a release point, astability pin extending from an outer edge of one of the panels insliding engagement with the inner railway, a plurality of guide pinsextending from the outer edge of selected panels in sliding engagementwith the outer railway, a connector connecting the cable to one of thepanels.
 20. The folding apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein saidplurality of panels include an upper panel and a lower panel and whereinsaid upper panel includes a first fixed hinge point attachable to astructure and said pivotable vertical rail includes a second fixed hingepoint attachable to the structure such that said pivotable vertical railpivots as said folding door moves from an open position to a closedposition.